Tammy Brown at the 2016 SOURCE Awards banquet in Nashville on Aug. 23, 2016. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Widely loved music-industry veteran Tammy Brown has passed away following a decade-long battle with cancer.
Brown worked for song publishers, record labels, producers and recording studios. She championed such artists as Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood. In 2016, she won a SOURCE Award as a game-changing woman in the Nashville music business.
As a Music Row personality with over 30 years in the industry, Tammy Brown’s resume included stints at Sound Shop Studio, Tree Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sony Music Nashville and ole Publishing. Throughout her career, she always campaigned for musical and songwriting excellence.
Tammy Brown grew up on a small farm in Oklahoma with no indoor plumbing. Her passion for music led her to move to Los Angeles In 1975. She became a production assistant, spending hours at studios attending to recording session details.
Brown moved to Nashville in 1987. She landed a job at Sound Shop studios, owned by Buddy Killen of Tree Publishing. After a year, she moved over to Tree, booking their in-house demo studios. She assisted more than 100 Tree writers, and organized the publishing firm’s No. 1 parties.
Tree Publishing eventually became Sony Music Publishing. There, Brown became producer Paul Worley’s executive assistant for six years. When he moved to Sony Records, so did she.
She began pitching songs to Worley and to the label. In recognition, she was promoted to Sony A&R supervisor. Her ear for talent led her to match songwriters with artists for writing sessions. She paired Marcus Hummon with Richard Marx, Billy Ray Cyrus with Jude Cole, Mac McAnally with Bob Bennett and Travis Tritt with Casey Beathard, plus Rivers Rutherford.
Getting successful songs to Montgomery Gentry, McBride, The Kinleys, Billy Gilman, Tritt, Marty Stuart, Buddy Jewell and Cyrus led her to becoming Sony’s Associate Director of A&R. During this era, Tammy Brown also became a key figure in Leadership Music’s annual Nashville Music Awards balloting procedure.
After she left Sony in 2004, Brown became the Creative Manager for ole Songs. While there, her efforts for the publisher resulted in six hit singles and dozens of album cuts.
She withdrew from the industry when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. Brown conquered leukemia in 2009. At that time, she was honored with a luncheon by the song-plugger collective Chicks With Hits. But by last year, her cancer had returned.
Tammy Brown went into hospice care and then died peacefully on Sunday, July 30.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
LifeNotes: Music Industry Veteran Tammy Brown Passes
/by Robert K OermannTammy Brown at the 2016 SOURCE Awards banquet in Nashville on Aug. 23, 2016. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Widely loved music-industry veteran Tammy Brown has passed away following a decade-long battle with cancer.
Brown worked for song publishers, record labels, producers and recording studios. She championed such artists as Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood. In 2016, she won a SOURCE Award as a game-changing woman in the Nashville music business.
As a Music Row personality with over 30 years in the industry, Tammy Brown’s resume included stints at Sound Shop Studio, Tree Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sony Music Nashville and ole Publishing. Throughout her career, she always campaigned for musical and songwriting excellence.
Tammy Brown grew up on a small farm in Oklahoma with no indoor plumbing. Her passion for music led her to move to Los Angeles In 1975. She became a production assistant, spending hours at studios attending to recording session details.
Brown moved to Nashville in 1987. She landed a job at Sound Shop studios, owned by Buddy Killen of Tree Publishing. After a year, she moved over to Tree, booking their in-house demo studios. She assisted more than 100 Tree writers, and organized the publishing firm’s No. 1 parties.
Tree Publishing eventually became Sony Music Publishing. There, Brown became producer Paul Worley’s executive assistant for six years. When he moved to Sony Records, so did she.
She began pitching songs to Worley and to the label. In recognition, she was promoted to Sony A&R supervisor. Her ear for talent led her to match songwriters with artists for writing sessions. She paired Marcus Hummon with Richard Marx, Billy Ray Cyrus with Jude Cole, Mac McAnally with Bob Bennett and Travis Tritt with Casey Beathard, plus Rivers Rutherford.
Getting successful songs to Montgomery Gentry, McBride, The Kinleys, Billy Gilman, Tritt, Marty Stuart, Buddy Jewell and Cyrus led her to becoming Sony’s Associate Director of A&R. During this era, Tammy Brown also became a key figure in Leadership Music’s annual Nashville Music Awards balloting procedure.
After she left Sony in 2004, Brown became the Creative Manager for ole Songs. While there, her efforts for the publisher resulted in six hit singles and dozens of album cuts.
She withdrew from the industry when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. Brown conquered leukemia in 2009. At that time, she was honored with a luncheon by the song-plugger collective Chicks With Hits. But by last year, her cancer had returned.
Tammy Brown went into hospice care and then died peacefully on Sunday, July 30.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Max Barry, Son Of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Dies
/by Sherod RobertsonPictured (L-R): Bruce Barry, Max Barry, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry.
Max Barry, son of Mayor Megan Barry and Bruce Barry, died from an apparent overdose in Denver, Colorado on the evening of Saturday, July 29.
Mayor Megan Barry and Bruce Barry have released a statement on this tragic news:
“Early this morning, we received news that no parents should ever have to hear. Our son Max suffered from an overdose and passed away. We cannot begin to describe the pain and heartbreak that comes with losing our only child. Our son was a kind soul full of life and love for his family and friends.
Our family would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers, and would respectfully ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of our child and begin to understand a world without his laughter and love in our lives.”
Max Barry, age 22, graduated in June from the University of Puget Sound. Max attended Eakin Elementary School, West End Middle School, and MLK High School before attending and graduating from University School of Nashville. He is survived by his parents, as well as grandparents Joyce Brody, Jan Mueller, and Ken Mueller.
Information about arrangements will be announced when they are developed. The Barry family would respectfully ask for your understanding and privacy during this very difficult time. They will not be available for interviews until further notice. Messages of condolence can be sent to megan.barry@nashville.gov or Office of Mayor Megan Barry, 1 Public Square, Nashville, TN 37201.
Updated:
A visitation will be held at the Martha Rivers Ingram Center for the Performing Arts at the Blair School of Music, 2400 Blakemore Ave, from 5 to 8PM on Monday, July 31.
A memorial will be held at the Belcourt Theatre, 2102 Belcourt Ave, starting at 10AM on Tuesday, August 1 with doors opening at 8:30AM.
In memory of Max, contributions can be made to the Oasis Center or Nashville Humane Association.
Pictured (L-R): Bruce Barry, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Max Barry
Sweet Talk Publicity Adds Courtney Beebe, Jodi Dawes
/by Jessica NicholsonBeebe – formerly of the Country Music Association – is the firm’s newest Publicist, while Dawes – previously of Webster Public Relations – joins as Junior Publicist. Both will take their posts immediately.
“From the minute I met Courtney and Jodi, I knew there was something special about each of them,” shares Sweet Talk president Jensen Sussman. “They both exude passion for public relations, country music and building an artist’s career while their unique backgrounds and experiences bring a fresh energy to the team and our client roster. I’m absolutely thrilled to have them on board!”
Beebe, who graduated with a B.A. from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of North Carolina, moved to Nashville in 2012 and began working as a Content Marketing Specialist at Lotos Nile. In 2013, she joined the CMA team as Communications Assistant before rising to Communications Manager and serving as Managing Editor of CMA Close Up magazine.
Dawes, a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a B.A. in Public Relations, began her career as an intern for both WLXX radio and WLEX-TV in Lexington, KY, and also worked in corporate communications for Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex in New York City. At Webster PR, Dawes held the role of Publicity Manager, handling day-to-day activities for Mark Chesnutt, Collin Raye, John Michael Montgomery, and more.
Beebe and Dawes will report directly to Sweet Talk president and founder, Jensen Sussman, joining staff members Julianne Cassidy (Publicist) and Montine Felso (Senior Publicist).
Sweet Talk Publicity’s current client list includes Florida Georgia Line, Kelsea Ballerini, A Thousand Horses, Craig Campbell, FGL HOUSE, Home Free, Jillian Jacqueline, Chris Lane, Dustin Lynch, Tegan Marie, MINXX, Jerrod Niemann, Dylan Scott and Morgan Wallen.
Beebe can be reached at cbeebe@sweettalkpr.com, while Dawes can be reached at jdawes@sweettalkpr.com.
Industry Ink: Billy Joe Walker Jr., Mickey Guyton, Lee Greenwood
/by Jessica NicholsonMemorial Service Set For Billy Joe Walker Jr.
A full obit for Billy Joe Walker Jr. can be read at musicrow.com.
Mickey Guyton Releases New Single “Nice Things”
Singer-songwriter Mickey Guyton has released the new single “Nice Things,” which she wrote with Liz Rose and Stephanie Chapman. To listen, click here.
Lee Greenwood Visits CMA Office
Pictured (L-R): Justin Randall, Brandi Simms, Lee Greenwood, Angela Roland, Brenden Oliver
Lynn Anderson Exhibit To Open At Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum
/by Jessica NicholsonLynn Anderson, known for a string of hit songs including “Rose Garden,” “Keep Me In Mind,” and “How Can I Unlove You,” will be the subject of a new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Lynn Anderson: Keep Me In Mind will open Sept. 15, 2017 and run through June 24, 2018.
“Anderson’s television background and her ability to bring show-business dynamism to recordings and concert performances helped her achieve crossover success,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “With talent and tenacity, the country music star brought increased visibility to the genre in the 1960s and ’70s, and we are privileged to share her story with our guests.”
Born in North Dakota and raised in northern California, Anderson started performing at age six, and by her teens she was appearing regularly on television. Her parents, Casey and Liz Anderson, were successful songwriters. Together, they wrote “The Fugitive,” a hit for Merle Haggard. The Andersons’ connections, and Lynn’s talent and hard work, led to her signing with Chart Records at age 19, in 1966.
By the late 1960s, Anderson was a regular on television’s Lawrence Welk Show, and from 1966 to early 1970 she notched five Top Ten country singles in Billboard rankings. By then, she was also an award-winning equestrian, taking home trophies and ribbons for riding show horses and cutting horses. In fact, Anderson competed in equestrian events throughout most of her life, winning 16 national and eight world championships, as well as the top trophies at several celebrity competitions.
After marrying songwriter and producer Glenn Sutton, Anderson moved to Nashville in 1969. She signed with Columbia Records in 1970, and Sutton produced her first sixteen albums including Rose Garden, released in December 1970. The album’s title track spent five weeks at No. 1 on the country chart and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. The album was among the first by female country singers to be certified Platinum for sales of more than a million copies.
Anderson had several No. 1s in the 1970s (“Keep Me in Mind” among them) and numerous Top Ten hits. She won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1971. She was named the Academy of Country Music’s Top Female Vocalist in 1967 and 1970, and the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1971. In 1974, Anderson was the first female country singer to sell out Madison Square Garden. Anderson continued to perform and record until her death in 2015.
Bandsintown Releases Latest App Update
/by Lorie HollabaughCCM News: Seventh Day Slumber, Crowder, Lecrae, Tori Kelly
/by Lorie HollabaughSeventh Day Slumber’s ‘Found’ Out Today
Produced by Holderfield, Found (VSR Music Group/Capitol Christian Distribution) features 10 new tracks showcasing the band’s musical breadth, from hard rock anthems to melodic pop ballads. The project was largely inspired following a season of burnout and depression band founder and frontman Rojas faced.
“… four years ago I came to a place where I just got depressed,” Rojas recently told Western New York’s Niagara Frontier Publications. “… I never lost my passion for ministry, or anything like that, but I just couldn’t make myself be happy.… I just decided to write about it. I decided to just put my heart and my soul into these lyrics…. That’s what this record, Found, is about.”
Crowder To Launch ‘American Prodigal’ Tour This Fall
Lecrae And Tori Kelly Support St. Jude With New Video
Denny Strickland Is ‘California Dreamin’ On New CD
/by Lorie HollabaughProduced by Strickland and Sean Giovanni, California Dreamin’ is a collection of 11 tracks that draw inspiration not just from Strickland’s country influences but also from pop, rap, rock and even acts such as Lana del Rey and Timbaland.
“I am incredibly proud of this album and excited for my fans to get to hear it,” said Strickland about the new release. “Gio and I worked so hard in the studio and I feel like we really nailed down my sound. I wrote so many of the songs featured on this project, a lot of it inspired by the West Coast,” said Strickland. “California was definitely my muse for this project.”
California Dreamin’ Track List:
Artist Pics: Brad Paisley, RaeLynn, Maggie Rose
/by Lorie HollabaughBrad Paisley Takes Weekend Warrior World Tour To Sweden, Norway
RaeLynn Offers Tracks From WildHorse During Warner Nashville’s Pickin’ On The Patio
Pictured (L-R): Kerry Hansen (Manager, Big Enterprises), Wes Vause (SVP, WMN), Cris Lacy (VP A&R, WMN), RaeLynn, Chris Palmer (VP Radio & Streaming, WMN), Lisa Ray (VP, Head of Brand Management, WMN), Jenn Witherell (Manager, Big Enterprises)
Raelynn brought the party to the Warner Music Nashville offices on Music Row Wednesday night, playing to a jam-packed crowd for this month’s Pickin’ on the Patio concert. The half-hour set consisted of favorites from her debut album WildHorse, which was recently included as one of Rolling Stone’s “Best Country and Americana Albums of 2017 So Far.”
Maggie Rose Headlines Rooftop On The Rocks At The Westin Nashville
Photo credit: Alex Berger (@alexbergerphotography)
Maggie Rose headlined Rooftop on the Rocks at The Westin Nashville’s L27 Bar Thursday night (7/27). Maggie and friends closed the evening with some new tunes, tracks from her latest EP Dreams > Dollars, and a show-stopping rendition of The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends”.
Weekly Chart Report 7/28/17
/by Alex ParryClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.